In a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus that processing a substrate by applying a voltage to a gas to create a plasma, positively charged particles are trapped or guided at the instant that the cathode voltage is stopped, by an electrode to which is imparted a negative voltage, so as to prevent particles reaching the substrate.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A particle-removing apparatus of a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus that comprises an etching processing chamber, a pair of processing electrodes formed by an upper electrode and a lower electrode, which are installed within said processing chamber, and a susceptor that holds a substrate to be processed onto the top of said lower electrode, a processing gas being introduced into said etching processing chamber, a prescribed voltage being applied to said processing electrodes, so as to generate a plasma of said gas, thereby processing the substrate on the susceptor, and a particle-removing electrode for the purpose of removing particles being provided inside said processing chamber, said particle-removing electrode being directly exposed to said plasma, whereby, after completion etching of said substrate, a negative voltage is applied to said particle-removing electrode, so that charged particles inside said processing chamber are guided to said particle-removing electrode and caused to be attached thereto, thereby removing said particles.
2. A particle-removing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said particle-removing electrode is provided between said upper electrode and said lower electrode.
3. A particle-removing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an exhaust port disposed on a side wall of said etching chamber, in a region in which said particle-removing electrode is provided.
4. A particle-removing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said particle-removing electrode is provided above said lower electrode in a manner that surrounds said substrate.
5. A particle-removing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said particle-removing electrode is provided between said processing electrode and a side wall of said processing chamber.
6. A particle-removing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein said particle-removing electrode is a attachment-preventing plate that prevents sediments from becoming attached to a wall surface of said processing chamber.
7. A particle-removing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said particle-removing electrode is provided within a gas exhaust port or said etching processing chamber or near said exhaust port.
8. A particle-removing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said particle-removing electrode is electrically conductive and planar in configuration.
9. A particle-removing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said particle-removing electrode is an electrically conductive grid-configured electrode.
10. A particle-removing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said negative voltage is applied after completion of etching.
11. A particle-removing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said negative voltage is applied during transporting of said substrate.
12. A particle-removing apparatus of a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus that comprises an etching processing chamber, a pair of processing electrodes formed by an upper electrode and a lower electrode, which are installed within said processing chamber, and a susceptor that holds a substrate to be processed onto the top of said lower electrode, wherein a processing gas being introduced into said etching processing chamber, and a prescribed voltage being applied to said processing electrodes, so as to generate a plasma of said gas, thereby processing the substrate on the susceptor, said particle-removing apparatus comprising a gas exhaust port of said processing chamber, which is formed of an electrically conductive material, a negative voltage being applied to said electrically conductive material, so as to remove charged particles within said processing chamber.
13. A particle-removing apparatus of a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus that comprises an etching processing chamber, a pair of processing electrodes formed by an upper electrode and a lower electrode, which are installed within said processing chamber, and a susceptor that holds a substrate to be processed onto the top of said lower electrode, wherein a processing gas being introduced into said etching processing chamber, and a prescribed voltage being applied to said processing electrodes, so as to generate a plasma of said gas, thereby processing the substrate on the susceptor, said particle-removing apparatus comprising an electrically conductive grid-configured material for the purpose of particle removed, said material being dispersed between said upper and said lower electrode and being directly exposed to said plasma, and a negative voltage being applied to said grid-configured material, so as to remove charged particles from said processing chamber.
14. A particle-removing apparatus of a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus that comprises an etching processing chamber, a pair of processing electrodes formed by an upper electrode and a lower electrode, which are installed within said processing chamber, and a susceptor that holds a substrate to be processed onto the top of said lower electrode, a processing gas being introduced into said etching processing chamber, and a prescribed voltage being applied to said processing electrodes, so as to generate a plasma of said gas, thereby processing the substrate on the susceptor, said particle-removing apparatus comprising a particle-removing electrode for the purpose of removing particles, said particle-removing electrode being disposed in a region near said substrate and being directly exposed to said plasma, a negative voltage that has an absolute value that is larger than a self-bias voltage of said lower electrode being applied thereto, so as to prevent particles within said processing chamber from falling onto said substrate.
15. A particle-removing apparatus of a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus that comprises an etching processing chamber, a pair of processing electrodes formed by an upper electrode and a lower electrode, which are installed within said processing chamber, and a susceptor that holds a substrate to be processed onto the top of said lower electrode by an electrostatic chuck electrode, a processing gas being introduced into said etching processing chamber, and a prescribed voltage being applied to said processing electrodes, so as to generate a plasma of said gas, thereby processing the substrate on the susceptor, a constant negative bias voltage being applied to said lower electrode, said bias voltage being caused to vary in the same manner as a bias voltage applied to the electrostatic chuck electrode.
16. A particle-removing apparatus according to any one of claim 1 through claim 15 , further comprising a laser apparatus for the purpose of detecting the generation of said particles, light from said laser apparatus being shined in a region near said upper electrode, and comprising a third control means for the purpose of applying a negative voltage to said particle-removing electrode, based on the results of said detection.
17. A particle-removing apparatus of a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus comprising: an etching processing chamber, a pair of processing electrodes formed by an upper electrode and a lower electrode, which are installed within said processing chamber, and a susceptor that holds a substrate to be processed on a top of said lower electrode, a processing gas being introduced into said etching processing chamber, a prescribed voltage being applied to said processing electrodes, so as to generate a plasma of said gas, thereby processing said substrate on said susceptor, wherein a particle-removing electrode for removing particles is provided near an exhaust port disposed at a bottom of said etching processing chamber and being directly exposed to said plasma, a negative voltage being applied to said particle-removing electrode, said exhaust port being formed of an electrically conductive material with a negative voltage being applied thereto.
18. A particle-removing apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein said negative voltage has an absolute value that is greater than a self-bias voltage of said lower electrode.
19. A particle-removing apparatus of a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus comprising: an etching processing chamber, a pair of processing electrodes formed by an upper electrode and a lower electrode, which are installed within said processing chamber, and a susceptor that holds a substrate to be processed on a top of said lower electrode, a processing gas being introduced into said etching processing chamber, a prescribed voltage being applied to said processing electrodes, so as to generate a plasma of said gas, thereby processing said substrate on said susceptor, wherein an exhaust port is provided at a bottom of said etching processing chamber and said exhaust port is formed of an electrically conductive material, a negative voltage being applied to said exhaust port.
20. A particle-removing apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein said negative voltage has an absolute value that is greater than a self-bias voltage of said lower electrode.
21. A particle-removing apparatus of a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus comprising: an etching processing chamber, a pair of processing electrodes formed by an upper electrode and a lower electrode, which are installed within said processing chamber, and a susceptor that holds a substrate to be processed on a top of said lower electrode, a processing gas being introduced into said etching processing chamber, a prescribed voltage being applied to said processing electrodes, so as to generate a plasma of said gas, thereby processing said substrate on said susceptor, wherein a particle-removing electrode for removing particles is provided within said processing chamber and being directly exposed to said plasma, a negative voltage that has an absolute value that is greater than a self-bias voltage of said lower electrode, is applied to said particle-removing electrode.
22. A particle-removing apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein said particle-removing electrode is provided so as to cover said substrate.
23. A particle-removing apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein said particle-removing electrode is provided on a top of said lower electrode and provided so as to surround said substrate.
24. A particle-removing apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein said particle-removing electrode is provided near an exhaust port disposed at a bottom of said etching processing chamber.
25. A particle-removing apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein said particle-removing electrode is provided within an exhaust port disposed at a bottom of said etching processing chamber.
26. A particle-removing apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein said negative voltage is applied after completion of etching of said substrate.
27. A particle-removing apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein said negative voltage is applied during transporting of said substrate.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
October 10, 2000
July 23, 2002
Browse 5M+ US patents with plain-English claim translations and AI-generated analysis.